Shane Mosley needed to come up with something magical on Saturday night. He didn't. While Vernon Forrest did not dominate Mosley to the extent that he had in their first fight, Forrest nevertheless got the result he needed -- another 12 round unanimous decision.

I always thought Mosley was more Ray Leonard than Mark Breland, but Leonard would have at least attempted something dramatic had he been in Mosley's position -- down on points in the late rounds of the rematch to a loss he was looking to avenge.

Mark Breland lost his welterweight crown to Marlon Starling by late-round knockout, and then was unable to win back his title when the two met again. In a boring rematch, Breland did not take enough chances against Starling and wound up getting a draw in a fight he probably deserved to lose.

The televised portion of the undercard to Forrest-Mosley paired two of the five best light heavyweights in the world in a rematch of one of the better Friday Night Fights from last year. Antonio Tarver was looking for revenge against Eric Harding and he got it. Their first fight was fast-paced and competitive, but Harding's skills were a little finer, his timing a little better and his punches a little crisper. As a result he walked away with a unanimous decision and a title shot against Roy Jones Jr. Harding then acquitted himself well against Jones and as a result his stock rose in defeat.

Going into the Tarver rematch I suspected that Harding was the second-best 175-pounder in the world. I had already seen him beat Tarver and would have picked him against undefeated Dariusz Michalczewski. The first three rounds of the Tarver fight only strengthened my feeling.

In Tarver's corner, his trainer, welterweight champion Buddy McGirt, gave him well crafted, specific instructions, but against Harding, Tarver was simply unable to carry them out. It is not that Tarver fought poorly, only that Harding's skill was more advanced, his timing more subtle. Through three rounds, in fact, I was convinced that Eric Harding posed a serious threat to Roy Jones should the two ever rematch.

And then it happened. Harding, showing little respect for Tarver's punching power, reached for Tarver and left himself open for a straight left hand counter. And Tarver threw one. And it landed. Hard.

Even though Harding lasted into the next round, the fight essentially ended on one punch. Tarver reversed his only professional loss and put himself in position for a payday against Jones. Yes, Roy will likely go upside Tarver's head, but one of these days Roy will lose -- they all do. Antonio Tarver has a magnificent amateur background, a lot of pride, some handspeed and some boxing skills, and apparently a pretty good straight left hand. Roy shouldn't sleep.